JP2012073480A - Information display medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a formation of a level difference between two areas, even if an area for displaying first information where electrodes and a wiring connected thereto are connected via an insulating layer, and an area for displaying second information where an electrode and a wiring are connected without interposition of an insulating layer, are formed on the same surface of a substrate, when the first information and the second information are displayed on the same surface side of the substrate by a potential difference between the two electrodes disposed facing each other.SOLUTION: In a two-dimensional code area 20, a wiring 22 connected to a plurality of cell electrodes 21 are formed on a base substrate 11, and each of the cell electrodes 21 is formed on an insulating layer 12 superposed on a surface where the wiring 22 of the base substrate 11 is formed, with the wiring 22 connected via a through-hole 13 formed on the insulating layer 12. On the other hand, in a bar code area 30, an insulating layer 12 is superposed on the base substrate 11 and a strip electrode 31 and a wiring 32 are formed on the insulating layer 12.

Description

  In the present invention, when the first information and the second information are displayed on the same surface side of the base material by the potential difference between the two electrodes arranged opposite to each other, the first information display area and the second information are displayed. The present invention relates to a technique for eliminating a level difference from an area for displaying information.

  Conventionally, barcodes have been used to manage articles. This bar code represents the identification information in the white region by the width and interval of a plurality of black lines, and the identification information can be recognized by reading it with a bar code reader. In recent years, a two-dimensional code in which identification information is expressed by a cell distribution pattern represented by dots painted in different colors has been used. Since the two-dimensional code expresses identification information two-dimensionally as a distribution pattern of cells represented by dots as compared with the barcode as described above, a lot of information can be expressed.

  Such bar codes and two-dimensional codes are used by being directly printed on articles, or printed on labels and affixed to articles. For this reason, once printed barcodes and 2D codes cannot be changed. When changing barcodes or 2D codes, barcodes or 2D codes can be reprinted on the article or changed barcodes. Or a label with a two-dimensional code printed on it.

  Here, a liquid crystal or display medium is placed between the opposing electrodes, and a bar code or two-dimensional display is used using an information display panel that displays information by changing the state of the liquid crystal or display medium using the potential applied to the electrode. A technique for displaying a code has been considered (for example, see Patent Document 1). Therefore, by combining these techniques, it is possible to variably display the barcode and the two-dimensional code on the same surface side of the substrate by changing the state of the liquid crystal or the display medium by the potential difference between the opposing electrodes.

JP 2006-234911 A

  By the way, when displaying a bar code or a two-dimensional code using a liquid crystal or a display medium as described above, the potential difference between the electrodes sandwiching the liquid crystal or the display medium is changed. An electrode is arranged for each cell dot constituting the two-dimensional code, and a wiring for applying a voltage is connected to each of the electrodes.

  However, in the case of displaying a two-dimensional code using a liquid crystal or a display medium, when connecting wiring to each electrode provided for each dot constituting the two-dimensional code, the cell dots are densely arranged. Since it is difficult to draw the wiring connected to the electrode to the outside through the other electrodes, an insulating layer is interposed between the wiring and the electrode, and through the through hole formed in the insulating layer. The wiring and the electrode are connected. On the other hand, when a bar code is displayed using a liquid crystal or a display medium, if the bar is very thin, it is difficult to form a through hole in the electrode corresponding to the bar. Are formed on the same surface of the substrate without an insulating layer.

  Therefore, when the barcode and the two-dimensional code are variably displayed on the same surface side of the substrate, the electrode, the insulating layer, and the wiring are laminated in the region where the two-dimensional code is displayed. On the other hand, in the area where the barcode is displayed, the electrode and the wiring are formed on the same surface of the base material without interposing the insulating layer, whereby the area where the two-dimensional code is displayed There is a problem in that there is a step between the area where the bar code is displayed, and irregular reflection of light and noise of light occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the conventional technology as described above, and the first information and the second information are obtained from the base material by the potential difference between the two electrodes arranged opposite to each other. When displaying on the same surface side, the region displaying the first information is connected to the electrode and the wiring connected thereto via an insulating layer, and the region displaying the second information is connected to the electrode and this An object of the present invention is to provide an information display medium that does not cause a step between these two regions even if the connected wiring is formed on the same surface of the base material without an insulating layer.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
A first electrode layer composed of a plurality of display electrodes disposed on one surface side of the base substrate; and a wiring disposed on the one surface side of the base substrate connected to the plurality of display electrodes; An information display sandwiched between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and a second electrode layer disposed opposite to the base substrate of the first electrode layer An information display device in which a color by the information display layer according to a potential difference between the plurality of display electrodes and the second electrode layer is visually recognized from the second electrode layer side,
The wiring is formed on the base substrate, and the first electrode layer is formed on the insulating layer laminated on the surface of the base substrate on which the wiring is formed. A first region formed by being connected to the wiring via a portion;
The insulating layer is laminated on the base substrate, and the second electrode region and the second region where the wiring connected to the first electrode layer is formed on the insulating layer.

  In the present invention configured as described above, a plurality of display electrodes arranged on one surface side of the base substrate, and a side opposite to the base substrate of the first electrode layer comprising the plurality of display electrodes The color of the information display layer sandwiched between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is changed according to the potential difference between the second electrode layer and the second electrode layer disposed opposite to the second electrode layer side. Will be visible. In the first region, the wiring connected to the plurality of display electrodes is formed on the base substrate, and the first electrode layer is formed on the insulating layer laminated on the surface of the base substrate on which the wiring is formed. In addition, it is connected to a wiring through a conduction portion formed in the insulating layer. For this reason, in the first region, it is possible to display a wiring that is difficult to draw out to the outside through the other display electrodes, such as a two-dimensional code. On the other hand, in the second region, the first electrode layer composed of a plurality of display electrodes and the wiring connected thereto are formed on the same surface. For this reason, in the second region, since it is necessary to make the display electrode very thin like a barcode, it is possible to display a display in which it is difficult to form a through hole in the display electrode. . In the second region, the insulating layer is laminated on the base substrate, and the first electrode layer and the wiring are formed on the insulating layer. The difference in thickness between the first region and the second region is not generated because the difference in thickness between the first region and the second region is absorbed.

  As described above, in the present invention, the first region for displaying the wiring that is difficult to draw out the wiring connected to the plurality of display electrodes through the other display electrodes, such as a two-dimensional code. The wiring connected to the plurality of display electrodes is formed on the base substrate, and the first electrode layer is formed on the insulating layer laminated on the surface of the base substrate on which the wiring is formed. On the other hand, it is necessary to make the display electrode very thin like a barcode, while forming a through hole in the display electrode. In the second region for displaying a difficult object, an insulating layer is laminated on the base substrate, and the first electrode layer and the wiring are formed on the insulating layer. The difference in thickness between the first region and the second region is absorbed Thereby, the first region for displaying the first information is connected to the display electrode and the wiring connected thereto via the insulating layer, and the second region for displaying the second information is Even when the display electrode and the wiring connected to the display electrode are formed on the same surface without an insulating layer, it is possible to avoid a step between the two regions.

It is a figure which shows an example of the code information displayed by the information display medium of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the wiring electrode board | substrate used for one Embodiment of the information display medium of this invention, (a) is the figure seen from the surface, (b) is the AA 'cross section shown to (a). FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an information display medium using the wiring electrode substrate illustrated in FIG. 2, (a) is a diagram viewed from the surface, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ illustrated in FIG. c) is an enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the code display card | curd shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an operation when the code information shown in FIG. 1 is displayed by the code display card shown in FIG. 3, wherein (a) shows the chargeable particles generated by the potential difference between the cell electrode and the transparent electrode. The figure which shows a movement, (b) is a figure which shows an appearance when a code display card is seen from the transparent conductive film substrate side.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  First, code information displayed by the information display medium of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of code information displayed by the information display medium of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the code information 1 in this example has a two-dimensional code 2 as first information and a bar code 3 as second information.

  The two-dimensional code 2 is a display in which cell dots 2a represented by dots having a black color and cell dots 2b represented by dots having a white color are distributed and displayed in a pattern according to information to be expressed. It is. Also, fixed patterns 2c for correctly recognizing the direction and position of the two-dimensional code 2 are displayed at the three corners.

  The bar code 3 is a bar 3a having a black color and a bar 3b having a white color, which are alternately displayed, and identification information is expressed by the widths of the bars 3a and 3b.

  2A and 2B are diagrams showing the configuration of a wiring electrode substrate used in an embodiment of the information display medium of the present invention, where FIG. 2A is a view seen from the surface, and FIG. 2B is A shown in FIG. It is -A 'sectional drawing. The wiring electrode substrate 10 shown in FIG. 2 is used as an information display medium for displaying the code information 1 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the wiring electrode substrate 10 in the present embodiment includes a two-dimensional code region 20 serving as a first region for displaying the two-dimensional code 2 in the code information 1 shown in FIG. A bar code area 30 serving as a second area for displaying the bar code 3 of the indicated code information 1 is provided.

  In the two-dimensional code region 20, a wiring 22 is formed on one surface of the base substrate 11, and an insulating layer 12 having a through hole 13 serving as a conductive portion is laminated on the surface on which the wiring 22 is formed. Has been. On the insulating layer 12, cell electrodes 21 having the same shape as one cell dot 2a, 2b corresponding to each of the cell dots 2a, 2b shown in FIG. Electrodes 23 corresponding to the fixed pattern 2c shown in FIG. 1 are formed. The cell electrode 21 and the electrode 23 are connected to the wiring 22 through the through hole 13. The wiring 22 is formed with a predetermined pattern on the base substrate 11 so that a voltage can be selectively applied to the cell electrode 21. Thus, in the two-dimensional code region 20, each of the cell electrodes 21 is formed on the insulating layer 12, and the cell electrode 21 is below the insulating layer 12 through the through hole 13 formed in the insulating layer 12. Therefore, in the state where the cell electrodes 21 are densely arranged in a matrix, there is no need to draw out the wiring connected to the cell electrodes 21 through the other cell electrodes 21.

  In the barcode region 30, the insulating layer 12 is laminated on the entire surface of one surface of the base substrate 11, and on the insulating layer 12, a plurality of strip electrodes 31 are formed side by side at minute intervals, A wiring 32 connected to the strip electrode 31 is formed. In this manner, in the barcode region 30, the strip electrode 31 and the wiring 32 connected to the strip electrode 31 are formed on the same surface of the insulating layer 12. When it is difficult to form the through hole 13 in the insulating layer 12 as in the dimension code region 20, the wiring 32 can be connected to the strip electrode 31 without passing through the through hole 13.

  In addition, the cell electrode 21, the electrode 23, and the strip | belt-shaped electrode 31 become a display electrode in this invention, and a 1st electrode layer is comprised from these.

  3A and 3B are diagrams showing a configuration of an information display medium using the wiring electrode substrate 10 shown in FIG. 2, wherein FIG. 3A is a view seen from the surface, and FIG. 3B is an AA shown in FIG. 'Cross sectional view, (c) is an enlarged view of part A shown in (b).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the information display medium in the present embodiment includes an information display layer 40 and a transparent substrate on the surface of the wiring electrode substrate 10 shown in FIG. 2 on which the cell electrode 21, the electrode 23, and the strip electrode 31 are formed. The thin code display card 4 is configured by laminating a transparent conductive film substrate 50, and has a two-dimensional code region 20 and a barcode region 30, similar to the wiring electrode substrate 10.

  The transparent conductive film substrate 50 is configured by forming a transparent electrode (for example, ITO) 52 serving as a second electrode layer on one surface of a transparent substrate 51 made of glass or the like, and the information display layer 40 includes In the region surrounded by the partition wall 41 and the seal layer 44, the partition wall liquid 42 in which the chargeable particles 43 are dispersed is accommodated. The wiring electrode substrate 10, the information display layer 40, and the transparent conductive film substrate 50 are regions in which the transparent electrode 52, the cell electrode 21, the electrode 23, and the strip electrode 31 are surrounded by the partition wall 41 and the seal layer 44. Are stacked so as to face each other through the liquid 42 in the partition. The partition wall 41 includes a bottom portion, a side portion serving as an outer peripheral portion of the information display layer 40, and a wall portion for partitioning a region surrounded by the side portion into a plurality of regions of, for example, 130 μm □. The surface on the opposite side is open. And it laminates | stacks so that the bottom part side may oppose the transparent conductive film substrate 50, and the seal layer 44 is laminated | stacked on the opened side.

  Further, the transparent conductive film substrate 50 is provided with a mask printing 53 such as black in a region that does not face the cell electrode 21, the electrode 23, and the belt-like electrode 31, and thereby the wiring formed on the wiring electrode substrate 10. 32 is not visually recognized through the transparent conductive film substrate 50.

  Such a code display card 4 can be used as a work instruction sheet or a shelf label, and can also be used as a label by using a label base material as the base substrate 11 instead of a card form. .

  Below, the manufacturing method of the code display card 4 comprised as mentioned above is demonstrated.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a method of manufacturing the code display card 4 shown in FIG.

  When the code display card 4 shown in FIG. 3 is manufactured, first, the wiring 22 is formed in the two-dimensional code region 20 on one surface of the base substrate 11 by printing using conductive ink such as conductive paste. (FIG. 4A).

  Next, the insulating layer 12 having the through holes 13 is laminated on the entire surface of the base substrate 11 on which the wirings 22 are formed (FIG. 4B). It is conceivable that the insulating layer 12 is laminated on the surface of the base substrate 11 on which the wiring is formed by printing using an insulating ink. When the insulating layer 12 is laminated by printing as described above, the through hole 13 is formed. By printing with a pattern that does not stack the insulating layer 12 in the region to be disposed, the through hole 13 can be formed simultaneously with the stacking of the insulating layer 12. When the insulating layer 12 is laminated by a method other than printing, the insulating layer 12 is laminated on the entire surface of the base substrate 11 where the wiring 22 is formed, and then the through hole 13 is formed in the insulating layer 12. Conceivable.

  As described above, in the state where the insulating layer 12 is laminated on the entire surface of the base substrate 11 where the wiring 22 is formed, the insulating layer 12 is formed in the two-dimensional code region 20 on one surface of the base substrate 11. The thickness difference between the two-dimensional code area 20 and the bar code area 30 due to the wiring 22 is absorbed by the insulating layer 12, and the surface of the insulating layer 12 excludes the through hole 13. And flat.

  Next, the cell electrode 21 and the electrode 23 are formed on the two-dimensional code region 20 by printing using a conductive ink such as a conductive paste on the insulating layer 12, and the strip electrode 31 and this are formed on the barcode region 30. A wiring 32 connected to is formed (FIG. 4C). Then, in the two-dimensional code region 20, the conductive ink flows into the through hole 13, and each of the cell electrode 21 and the electrode 23 is connected to the wiring 22 formed on the base substrate 11.

  Thus, the cell electrode 21 and the electrode 23 are formed in the two-dimensional code region 20 on the insulating layer 12 whose surface is flat, and the strip electrode 31 and the wiring are formed in the barcode region 30. By forming 32, the height from the base substrate 11 to the surface of the cell electrode 21 and the electrode 23 is the same as the height from the base substrate 11 to the surface of the strip electrode 31 and the wiring 32.

  Thereafter, the information display layer 40 and the transparent conductive film substrate 50 having the mask printing 53 formed on the surface thereof are formed on the surface of the base substrate 11 on which the cell electrode 21, the electrode 23, the strip electrode 31, and the wiring 32 are formed. The code display card 4 shown in FIG. 3 is completed by sequentially laminating them and bonding them together with an adhesive (not shown) (FIG. 4D).

  In the code display card 4 thus completed, the height from the base substrate 11 to the surface of the cell electrode 21 and the electrode 23 is the same as the height from the base substrate 11 to the surface of the strip electrode 31 and the wiring 32. In addition, since the information display layer 40 and the transparent conductive substrate 50 are laminated on the cell electrode 21, the electrode 23, the strip electrode 31, and the wiring 32 having the same height from the base substrate 11, In the transparent conductive substrate 50, there is no step between the two-dimensional code region 20 provided with the cell electrode 21 and the electrode 23 and the barcode region 30 provided with the strip electrode 31 and the wiring 32. The surface becomes flat.

  That is, in the code display medium 4 of the present embodiment, the two-dimensional code region 20 is formed with the wiring 22 connected to the plurality of cell electrodes 21 and the electrodes 23 on the base substrate 11, and the cell electrodes 21 and the electrodes 23. Each is formed on the insulating layer 12 stacked on the surface of the base substrate 11 on which the wiring 22 is formed, connected to the wiring 22 through the through hole 13 formed in the insulating layer 12, In the barcode region 30, the insulating layer 12 is laminated on the base substrate 11, and the strip electrode 31 and the wiring 32 are formed on the insulating layer 12. The thickness difference between the barcode area 30 and the barcode area 30 is absorbed, whereby the cell electrode 21 and the electrode 23 are connected to the cell electrode 21 and the electrode 23 in the 2D code area 20 displaying the 2D code 2. The wiring 22 is connected via the insulating layer 12, and the strip electrode 31 and the wiring 32 connected thereto in the barcode region 30 displaying the barcode 3 are not interposed via the insulating layer 12. Even if they are formed on the same plane, it is possible to avoid generating a step between the two-dimensional code area 20 and the barcode area 30.

  Below, the display operation | movement of the code information 1 by the code display card | curd 4 mentioned above is demonstrated.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation when the code information 1 shown in FIG. 1 is displayed by the code display card 4 shown in FIG. 3, and (a) shows the relationship between the cell electrode 21 and the transparent electrode 52. The figure which shows the movement of the electrification particle | grains 43 by the electrical potential difference in between, (b) is a figure which shows an appearance when the code display card 4 is seen from the transparent conductive film substrate 50 side.

  When the code information 1 shown in FIG. 1 is displayed by the code display card 4 shown in FIG. 3, for example, the transparent electrode 52 is set to 0V, and in the two-dimensional code region 20, cells formed on the base substrate 11 are used. Among the electrodes 21, a negative voltage is applied to the cell electrode 21 for displaying the black cell dot 2a according to the information to be expressed via the wiring 22, and the cell for displaying the white cell dot 2b. A positive voltage is applied to the electrode 21 via the wiring 22. Also, for the electrode 23 for displaying the fixed pattern 2c, a negative voltage is applied to the portion for displaying black according to the color to be displayed through the wiring 22, and the portion for displaying white is also displayed. A positive voltage is applied via the wiring 22. Further, in the barcode region 30, a negative voltage is applied via the wiring 32 to the belt-like electrode 31 for displaying the black bar 3a in accordance with the information to be expressed among the belt-like wiring 31 formed on the insulating layer 12. And a positive voltage is applied to the strip electrode 31 for displaying the white bar 3b through the wiring 32.

  As described above, when a negative or positive voltage is selectively applied to the cell electrode 21 or the strip electrode 31 in a state where the transparent electrode 52 is set to 0 V, the cell electrode 21 or the strip electrode to which the negative voltage is applied. In the region facing 31, a potential difference is generated on the transparent electrode 52 side that is positive with respect to the cell electrode 21 or strip electrode 31, and in the region facing the cell electrode 21 or strip electrode 31 to which a positive voltage is applied. Causes a potential difference that makes the transparent electrode 52 side negative with respect to the cell electrode 21 and the strip electrode 31. Then, since the partition wall liquid 42 accommodated in the region surrounded by the partition wall 41 and the seal layer 44 is made of a dielectric material, and the chargeable particles 43 are charged to a positive potential, FIG. ), In the region facing the cell electrode 21 or the strip electrode 31 to which a negative voltage is applied, the chargeable particles 43 are attracted to the cell electrode 21 or the strip electrode 31 side, In a region facing the cell electrode 21 or the strip electrode 31 to which a voltage is applied, the chargeable particles 43 are attracted toward the transparent electrode 52 side.

  When the code display card 4 is viewed from the transparent conductive film substrate 50 side, the partition wall liquid 42 is colored black with a dye or pigment, and the chargeable particles 43 include a light scattering component having a high refractive index. In the region facing the cell electrode 21 or the strip electrode 31 to which a negative voltage is applied, the black color by the information display layer 40 is recognized through the transparent conductive film substrate 50, and the cell to which the positive voltage is applied. In the region facing the electrode 21 and the strip electrode 31, white color due to the information display layer 40 is recognized through the transparent conductive film substrate 20, and in the two-dimensional code region 20, the black cell dots 2 a and white color are recognized. Cell dots 2b are distributed and displayed in a pattern according to the information to be expressed, and in the barcode area 30, black bars 3a and white bars 3b are displayed. And it is displayed alternately arranged in a width corresponding to data to be.

  Note that in a thin display medium such as the code display card 4 of this embodiment, distortion may occur due to external force, but in this case, a step is generated between the two-dimensional code area 20 and the barcode area 30. If it is, the light from the outside is diffusely reflected or noise of the light is generated at the stepped portion, and the display color by the information display layer 40 becomes difficult to see. However, in the code display card 4 of the present embodiment, as described above, there is no step between the two-dimensional code region 20 and the barcode region 30, so even if distortion occurs due to external force, The display color by the information display layer 40 does not become difficult to see.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a two-dimensional code area 20 for displaying the two-dimensional code 2 and a barcode area 30 for displaying the barcode 3 are provided, and the two-dimensional code area 20 and the barcode area are displayed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a wiring is formed on the base substrate and an insulating layer is laminated on the wiring. The first region where the first electrode layer connected to the wiring is formed on the insulating layer, and the wiring and the second electrode layer connected thereto on the base substrate are on the same surface of the substrate. In the second region, an insulating layer is laminated on the base substrate in the same manner as the first region, and wiring and connection to the insulating layer are made in the second region. By forming the formed second electrode layer, these layer configurations It is possible to avoid a step is generated between the mutually different first and second regions.

1 Code information 2 Two-dimensional code 3 Bar code 2a, 2b Cell dot 2c Fixed pattern 3a, 3b Bar 4 Code display card 10 Wiring electrode substrate 11 Base substrate 12 Insulating layer 13 Through hole 20 Two-dimensional code region 21 Cell electrode 22, 32 Wiring 23 Electrode 30 Barcode region 31 Strip electrode 40 Information display layer 41 Partition wall 42 Liquid in partition wall 43 Chargeable particle 44 Seal layer 50 Transparent conductive film substrate 51 Transparent substrate 52 Transparent electrode 53 Mask printing

Claims (1)

A first electrode layer composed of a plurality of display electrodes disposed on one surface side of the base substrate; and a wiring disposed on the one surface side of the base substrate connected to the plurality of display electrodes; An information display sandwiched between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and a second electrode layer disposed opposite to the base substrate of the first electrode layer An information display device in which a color by the information display layer according to a potential difference between the plurality of display electrodes and the second electrode layer is visually recognized from the second electrode layer side,
The wiring is formed on the base substrate, and the first electrode layer is formed on the insulating layer laminated on the surface of the base substrate on which the wiring is formed. A first region formed by being connected to the wiring via a portion;
An information display medium comprising: the insulating layer laminated on the base substrate; and the second region in which the first electrode layer and the wiring connected thereto are formed on the insulating layer. .

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